Vegan California Sushi Rolls (High-Protein)

Close up on a vegan California sushi roll showing its tofu creamy filling.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan California Sushi Rolls (High-Protein)

If you love making plant-based sushi at home, then this vegan California sushi roll recipe should be your next one to try! It uses a creamy tofu mixture as a crab meat alternative, making them satisfying and high-in-protein, plus the classic avocado and cucumber sushi fillings. Delicious and easy to make!

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Japanese, sushi, Vegan

Servings: rolls

Calories: 289kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

For the vegan crab meat mixture

16 oz super firm tofu drain and pat dry very well, then grated (see notes)
⅓ cup vegan mayo
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp paprika (or 1-3 tsp sriracha for a spicy version, or both)
2 green onions finely chopped

For the rolls

½ English cucumber sliced in thin sticks
1 avocado sliced
sushi rice see notes
5-6 seaweed sheet
sesame seeds

To serve (optional)

soy sauce
pickled ginger
spicy mayo
wasabi

Instructions

Cook the sushi rice, season and let it cool down until ready to use (see notes).
Remove the tofu from its packaging and wrap the block with a tea towel or a few layers of paper towel to remove as much water as you can (you can gently press the block, but don't break it). Then, shred the tofu using a cheese grater right into a large bowl.
To the tofu, add the vegan mayo, paprika (and/or sriracha sauce), soy sauce and green onion. Stir to combine and taste (add more mayo for a creamier result and more soy sauce for more saltiness).
When ready to roll the sushi, then lay a nori sheet (rough side facing up) over a bamboo mat. Cover with an even layer of the sushi rice (wet your fingers/hands as needed if it is too sticky) and leave about an inch free of rice on the top edge.
Add a few spoonfuls of the vegan crab mix over the rice in a horizontal line on the bottom half. Then add some of the sliced avocado and cucumber, and sprinkle some sesame seeds.
Grab under the mat with your thumb and place your other fingers over the filling to keep them in place, then roll all the way up trying to keep the vegan crab meat as tight as possible inside the roll using the mat. When you reach the rice-free part on top, then wet your finger and add some water over the nori (help seal the roll) and keep rolling until the sushi is closed.
To slice, use a very sharp knife and clean the knife with a wet towel in between each maki. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

You will be able to make 5 and even 6 rolls when using a whole block of 16 ounces of tofu as described in this recipe. If you want to make 2-3 rolls, then simply make half the batch of the vegan crab meat and use the second half of the block of tofu for another recipe.
Generally, cooking 1 cup of dry rice makes for about 3 sushi rolls. For this recipe, you can either cook 1 cup or 2 cups of rice depending on if you make half (3 rolls) or full recipe (6 rolls) of the vegan crab meat.
I like using brown rice for making sushi at home for bonus nutrients and the extra chewy bite that we now prefer. I follow this sweet potato sushi roll recipe for instructions on how to cook + season brown rice for making sushi. Feel free to cook and season classic white sushi rice as well if you prefer.
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition